


Hot To the Touch

by z0mb1k1d



Category: Avatar: The Last Airbender
Genre: Bisexuality, Blow Jobs, Canon Dialogue, First Meetings, First Time, Hand Jobs, In Character, M/M, One Night Stands, Virginity
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-25
Updated: 2020-06-25
Packaged: 2021-03-04 04:02:21
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 11,113
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24917278
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/z0mb1k1d/pseuds/z0mb1k1d
Summary: Just another story about the interaction between Jet and Zuko in Book 2, except they're gay. Really, really gay.
Relationships: Jet/Zuko (Avatar)
Comments: 11
Kudos: 183





	Hot To the Touch

**Author's Note:**

> I haven't published a story to this website in two years, but here's my version of how it SHOULD have gone down in Book 2 (Episode 12) between Jet and Zuko - except it's extra smutty.
> 
> Two quick disclaimers:  
> 1\. I tried to add indents to this story, but Archive really didn't like that, so I'm sorry if it's difficult to read due to lacking indentation.  
> 2\. I tried to keep this story as canon and in-character as much as I possibly could, and the entirety of the beginning and end has word-for-word dialogue and described scenes ripped from the show. Obviously my dialogue and actions for the characters isn't going to be perfect, especially once we get to the porn and it's completely out of canon-realm, but I did my best and hope you all enjoy.
> 
> Your story begins on the refugee boat to Ba Sing Se...

“Hey, what are you looking for? It’s not like we have anywhere special to be.” Smellerbee follows at Jet’s heels while he speed-walks through the crowd of refugees, his eyes scan spastically for something specific, but neither of his two friends know exactly what that is.

“Someone I saw earlier, who caught my eye.”

“Yeah no kidding,” Smellerbee says bitterly, “Maybe we could help, what does this person look like?”

Jet smirks, “He’s shorter than me, pale, skinny; and he’s got the most beautiful eyes you’ve ever seen.”

Smellerbee and Longshot exchange looks, “It’s a guy this time? Well what else, that’s kind of open to interpretation.”

“Short brown hair and a scar on his face you can’t-” Jet’s breath catches in his throat and he suddenly stops, then presses himself against a wooden pole supporting the roof above them. “- _Found you._ ” He whispers, smirk widened. Smellerbee and Longshot remain in the shadows, trying to find the same person. Jet stares at Zuko and Iroh from behind the pole, but even at a distance he can hear their conversation fairly clearly.

Iroh and Zuko stand beside each other, staring out into the vast expanse of the ocean and gently rocking with the passing waves. “Who would have thought after all these years, I’d return to the scene of my greatest military disgrace…” A heavy breath falls from the senior’s chest as he leans down to take something out of his bag. He digs out a cheap straw hat with a big flower on it, pulls it onto his head and then rears up with a grin, “As a tourist!” Iroh sets his hands proudly on his hips, staring at Zuko and waiting for a response.

The young man looks over and frowns, his shoulders hunch and he looks back out, “Look around, we’re not tourists - we’re refugees.” Zuko picks up a bowl on the edge of the ledge, lifts it to his mouth and takes a gulp of whatever soupy, broth substance is within. Immediately after taking the liquid into his mouth, Zuko’s eyes widen and he coughs in disgust, trying to spit out whatever is left of the substance on his tongue. He slams the bowl back onto the ledge, scowling at the foul and bitter taste that’s been left on his tongue, “Ugh! I’m sick of eating rotten food, sleeping in the dirt; I’m tired of living like this.”

Jet grins, grinding the reed of wheat between his teeth with delight at their conversation. He’s picked up everything, from Iroh’s way of slamming a positive spin into their situation despite it’s bleakness, to Zuko’s curt and unhidden frustration from hoarseness in his tone; he can see his sharp shoulders arched like mountain peaks, matching his openly sour personality. Frankly, Jet finds every inch of this new person endearingly exciting. He decides now is the time to interject, and make himself known to his interest. He takes a daring breath and raises his voice,  
“Aren’t we all?” Leaning against the wooden support pole, Jet steps out into the sunlight and brandishes his grin while Zuko looks over his shoulder to stare at the voices source. “My name’s Jet,” He walks out further, closer to Zuko and Iroh, while his friends follow out from behind him. “And these are my freedom fighters: Smellerbee, and Longshot.”

“Hey.” Smellerbee says casually, and Longshot nods in recognition.

Zuko stares at them for an uncomfortably long moment. He utters a non-committal, “Hello,” And then turns to look back at the ocean, seemingly unbothered and completely uninterested by their appearance.

Jet’s expression wilts, but he doesn’t give up. He walks closer to the brunette again with a more steeled approach, “Here’s the deal, I hear the Captain’s eating like a king while us refugees are feeding off his scraps. Doesn’t seem fair, does it?”

Iroh, suddenly interested, turns to stare at him with a look of bewilderment. “What sort of king is he eating like?”

“The fat, happy kind.” Like a child, Iroh’s mouth gapes and he stares at Jet, conveying the image of a man truly bamboozled. Jet takes a breath and leans over, trying to get a view of Zuko’s dismissive expression, “You wanna help us, ‘liberate’, some food?” He speaks to him again, smiling charismatically.

Zuko glares down into the puddle of liquid in his bowl for a long moment, then grabs it and throws it into the water.  
“I’m in,” He says while turning around to stare at the three of them. 

Jet grins and holds out his arm, “Can I get your name then?” He’d _love_ to tack a compliment onto the end of that sentence, but being that they’re right in front of apparent family, and Jet doesn’t exactly know what this new acquaintance’s _tastes_ are, he keeps it subtle.

Zuko’s eyes dart down to the extended limb, and after only a moment of contemplation he claps their hands together. “I’m Li, this is my uncle, Mushi.”

“Strong handshake. It’s a pleasure to meet you,” Jet’s grin never falters, and neither does his hold on Zuko’s alluring eyes. Iroh can sense a strange, sudden energy shifting between the two young men, but he can’t put his finger on exactly what it is.

“It is nice to see my nephew finally making some new friends,” Iroh says with a smile, “I can’t tell you how alone he is all the time.”

“Uncle, please,” Zuko sends him a glare from his peripherals, failing to notice that he’s still holding Jet’s hand. “You don’t need to talk for me.”

Jet, rather regretfully, releases Zuko’s hand and exchanges a shake with Iroh, for formality's sake. He lowers his voice, “So here’s the plan; tonight after sundown, we’re going to meet here on the middle deck by the staircase, and make sure no one sees you. If we get caught down here, we can brush it off as night wandering - but up there, we’ll be dead meat. Once we’re all together, we’ll go up and ransack the kitchen. Still up for it?”

“Sounds like a plan.” Zuko remarks in a hushed tone, his gaze switching between all three of them.

“Great,” Jet reaches out, and the two boys bump their fists together, “Can’t wait to see you then.”  
If Zuko were more socially aware of the situation, he definitely would have picked up the subtle shift in Jet’s tone from conversational to flirtatious. Iroh definitely noticed it, and he’ll be sure to rail Zuko with embarrassing ‘date’ advice later for their coming evening.

When the sun has finally set, and all the refugees on the ship are quiet or sleeping, Iroh escorts Zuko out of their room and leaves the young man to find his new friends on his own. Zuko slinks around the deck, shuffling quietly through the shadows until he finds Jet, Smellerbee, and Longshot crouching by the staircase that leads to the uppermost deck. He stops at the edge of a corner and snorts softly under his breath, deciding to be a bit cruel,

“ _Hey,_ ” Zuko barks in low-tone, and watches as all three of them stiffen and look at each other in concern. He steps out from his corner and approaches, “You guys look suspicious.” 

Jet looks up and grins, chuckling as he reaches out, grabs a hold of Zuko’s wrist, and yanks him down to their level on the floor. “Good to see you following through,” In the dark light of the night, it’s difficult to see each other's faces, but Jet couldn’t miss Zuko’s golden eyes if he tried. “Not like I had any doubts.”

“I’m not convinced.” Zuko mutters neutrally. Hunched down on one knee, the Prince looks at the other three for further information. Jet clears his throat, takes a careful look around the area, and then returns to facing them.

“Ok, so here’s what’s gonna happen; Longshot is gonna stand over there, keeping a watch on the ground and waiting for us to finish, then the three of us will go up there and sneak past the guards. Smellerbee, you’re gonna wait outside the kitchen while Li and I go inside and snatch up all the food. Everyone understand?” All three of his accomplices nod.  
Longshot carefully walks to his designated spot, and begins to set up what looks to be rope tied to arrows. Li takes the initiative and leads Jet and Smellerbee up the stairs; they stop at the top, wait for the night-guard to pass, and then continue to the kitchen. Just as proposed, Smellerbee stops beside a shadowed wall and keeps an eye out for the guard to return. At the kitchen door, Zuko pulls a sword out from beneath the robes on his torso, then jams the blade into the lock and it snaps apart, unlocking the door. Jet and Zuko sneak in, where Jet slices ropes that hang from the ceiling, releasing naked turkeys from the ceiling and catching them in a burlap sack. Zuko finds ornate, pre-prepared bowls of food laid along the table, and using a second sword along with the first, he flips the bowls one on top of the other, stacks the china, and then ties all the bowls together with a ribbon.  
During a brief second of pause, Jet looks over his shoulder and marvels at Lee’s quick handiwork - along with the rest of his sculpted appearance in the dim light of the room. Zuko glances up from the bowls, and catches his eyes. Jet smirks, basking in the moment for exactly how long it lasts, but quickly the two boys dig through the rest of the kitchen, packing up what they can before Smellerbee quietly hisses a warning, alerting them about the guard approaching. With their sacks of food, the pair leave the kitchen and all three escape to the edge of the top-level balcony. Longshot fires an arrow connected to a rope, Jet and Zuko send their sacks of food down, and then the crew follow down the rope until they get to the bottom, untouched and undetected.  
The team of four quickly hide in the shadows of the hallways, barely able to contain themselves. “Where should we take all of it?” Jet asks quietly, wearing a wicked grin. He hadn’t expected to get this far so smoothly. 

“Let’s go back to my Uncle, he’ll help us distribute.” Zuko gives a confirming nod to the rest of the team, and they silently make their way to his small room. Once they reach the door, Zuko carefully opens it and peaks inside, “Uncle?” He calls at half-volume.

“Li!” Iroh stands up from his position on the floor, where he was playing some kind of game on his own, and rushes to the door. “I’m glad you made it back safe,” As he opens it to let Zuko in, the Freedom Fighters pour into the room behind him with their wealthy sacks of food. Iroh’s mouth gapes as they pass by, and Jet laughs in victory,

“Can you believe all this is for one person?” He shakes his head disapprovingly.

“So,” Zuko observes their portions, “Think we should start waking everyone up?”

“I mean,” Jet looks between Zuko and Iroh, “They can’t stop all of us from eating at the same time, right? Besides, there’s no evidence it was _us._ ” That devilish smirk never fades from his lips, and honestly, it encourages Zuko's favor all the more.

“Yeah,” The Prince looks between them and nods,

“I’ll help too!” Iroh inserts himself with a grin, and with that, the 5 of them disperse - Smellerbee and Longshot counting as one person. Within half an hour, all of the refugees have been awoken and gathered on the deck of the ship as the Freedom Fighters, Zuko, and Iroh distribute food. Eventually after most of the portions have been handed out, Zuko and Iroh prepare a circle of pillows with food in the center, with Smellerbee and Longshot joining in while they wait for Jet to finish the last of the work. Zuko and Iroh sit beside each other, Smellerbee next to the senior, and Longshot after that; which leaves one empty seat beside the Prince. Naturally as they all sit down and settle in, Iroh begins casual conversation.  
“So, Smellerbee, that’s an unusual name for a young man.”

“Maybe it’s because I’m not a man, I’m a girl!” Smellerbee gives the older man a strange, begrudging glare and stands up, quickly taking her leave after accidentally being insulted.

“Oh, now I see! It’s a beautiful name for a lovely girl!” Iroh yells after the fleeing Smellerbee with a grin, and Longshot quickly follows after her, leaving only the two behind. Zuko stares at the side of Iroh’s face with a dismayed expression - not completely angry, but obviously disappointed, and once the interaction is over Jet approaches. He speaks softly, staring down at the par as they sip their tea,

“From what I heard, people eat like this every night in Ba Sing Se," He sits down in front of Iroh and Zuko, as opposed to directly beside the Prince. Zuko would never admit it, but there's a tinge of disappointment that comes with the change. "I can’t wait to set my eyes on that giant wall.” Jet comments confidently, staring at Zuko for a long moment, almost challenging him to pick up on the encouraging notes in his tone.

Iroh turns his smile to Jet, “It is a magnificent sight.” 

“So you’ve been there before?”

“Once, when I was a... Different man.” Iroh’s gentle gaze turns down to his food, his expression tinged with a sadness that has been present for many years.

Jet nods, his stare downcast and brows furrowed, “I’ve done some things in my past that I’m not proud of, but that’s why I’m going to Ba Sing Se, for a new beginning... A second chance.” He looks over at Zuko, who doesn’t seem to be paying attention - not on the surface anyway.

“That’s very noble of you. I believe people can change their lives even if they want to. I believe in second chances,” Iroh also looks over at Zuko, and noticing two pairs of eyes he looks up. Zuko’s stare switches between his Uncle and new friend, but he doesn’t know how to respond, as his immediate feelings are more bitter than appreciative. Jet can feel the uneasy energy and decides now may be a good time to act on his desires; the thoughts he’s had since first shaking Zuko’s hand.  
Sitting across from him, Jet extends his leg and prods against Zuko’s knee, getting his attention with a smile,

“Hey, can I talk to you for a second?”

Zuko exchanges a glance with his uncle, and then sighs, “Yeah.” The two boys stand up and walk off to a secluded part of the ship. All of the refugees on the deck are busy scarfing down food and talking amongst themselves, getting to know one another and socializing beneath the midnight stars. Zuko and Jet don’t need to walk far to be alone, or at least, unbothered.

Zuko stops against a wall and leans back, propping the sole of his foot against it and crossing his arms. He fixes an expecting stare on Jet, waiting for the conversation to continue, though he isn’t sure what will come.  
“So,” Jet starts, his gaze lifting from the bottom of Zuko’s feet all the way up to match his glare, “What are you into?” He asks casually.

Zuko blinks, his brow arches in surprise, “What?”

“What are you into?” Jet sets his hands on his hips and turns to face square to the Prince, “Girls? Guys? Both? Neither?” He smirks.

Zuko blinks a few more times, firm lines set in his forehead as he tries to reason why Jet would be asking that kind of question. “What does it matter? Why is that important?” He sets his foot down and leans forward, his hands relaxing in their hold, “I thought you brought me here to talk about something more urgent.” Zuko says this, but he honestly doesn’t know what he was expecting; he just knows it wasn’t _that._

Jet takes a small step forward, “I’m asking because I want to know if it would be worth it,” He remarks vaguely, still wearing a smirk.

Zuko’s brows furrow and his teeth begin to grit, “If _what_ would be worth it?”

Finally Jet strides forward, stopping only a foot or two short of Zuko and pressing his palm against the wall, “If trying to get you into my bed is worth it.” Jet says arrogantly, turning his head to try and see as much of the other’s face in the dark light as he can. “Come on, I’ve been staring at you all night like a wolf hunting a rabbit and you still don’t get it.”  
Zuko’s mouth is parted, his eyes scan Jet’s shadowed expression, and now he’s silent - not out of concern, but bashful confusion. Zuko never has time to think about cosmetic concerns like lust; he has too many other things to worry about, too many other goals to achieve.  
However, now he’s being cornered into a wall by someone who he hasn’t particularly been ignoring during their whole endeavor. Zuko is conflicted, to say the least, but that's fairly normal for him.

“I-I don’t, “ He looks away, and his torso curls; in any normal case, the Prince would light Jet up light a firecracker - but now the circumstances are different and he needs to proceed with caution. Zuko would much rather prefer to slink away or curl into a ball and make space between them so he can find the words to sort out the endeavor, or completely walk away from the problem. Ultimately, he decides on staying neutral, “I’m not here to do that, with _anyone._ ” Zuko tries to make his tone resolute, but it utterly fails; his body language speaks on better behalf than his mouth does.

“You sure about that?” Jet smirks, “Cuz I’ve been reading you since you met us up by the Captain’s kitchen. You’re a pretty cold guy, Li, but up until right now I know you’ve _also_ been looking at me. So, tell me right now if I’m reading this wrong, but,” Again Jet manages to step closer, and he daringly chooses to set a hand on Zuko’s waist, “I’m pretty sure you’re into this.”  
With his frustrations bubbling to the surface and little logic coming to mind, Zuko grits his teeth and groans in the back of his throat, feeling thoroughly caught. He turns his head so the scar of his face is pressing against the wall, but he can’t hide the blush that has swarmed the rest of his unmarked complexion; Jet has also taken a notice to the burning red on those high-cut cheekbones. He chuckles, low and quietly in his throat while leaning closer to the Prince, “So what, you don't know yet?”

“I don’t think about it.” Zuko mutters, voice constricted by tight-breathing from a racing heartbeat. Jet’s chest is only inches away from Zuko’s, and he can feel the beat of it, pulsing erratically despite their layers of clothing.

“Really? Well that gives me plenty of room to work.” With his hand on Zuko’s waist, Jet gently tugs him forward and their bodies press together. Zuko inhales a quiet gasp and turns his head, only to find they’re at each other's noses. “You feel _really_ warm, Li. Think you’re working up a bit of a fever,” Jet pulls his hand off the wall, he moves it to press his palm against Zuko’s flushed forehead, but the Prince declines the gesture. He grabs Jet’s wrist and takes a step away from him, trying to make space in a panic,

“Don’t do that,” He utters with short breath.

“Why not? You’re giving me pretty mixed signals here,” Jet’s tone begins to falter, growing more serious with his lessening confidence. 

“Because ,I,” Zuko bares his teeth, wearing his frustration on his sleeve without realizing it. He throws Jet’s hand away from his body, “I don’t know what I want from you. I didn’t come here to do _this_ ,” The blush on his face deepens the more he tries, in vain, to explain his confused feelings.

Jet’s brows furrow, “But you want _something_ from me, right?”

Zuko realizes Jet is twisting his words to keep him in a corner, and it’s both horribly arousing, and equally humiliating. Zuko isn’t familiar with dealing with such sudden and strong feelings , he isn't used to handling people treating him this way - it isn’t fair for him to be put under the pressure of promiscuity with no warning.  
Maybe the eye-tag between them was a bit of a game Zuko unconsciously played, which unintentionally led to leading Jet on. That being said, in the back of his mind, Zuko knows he doesn’t regret it, and he more readily realizes that he definitely isn’t disappointed with these results; just caught off guard with Jet’s forwardness.  
He grunts, “I need space - it’s complicated.” Zuko sets his hands against Jet’s shoulders and shoves him away, and when he’s finally at arms distance again, Zuko sighs, “Unless you _want_ me to overheat.” The Prince bites.

Jet’s eyebrows raise and he smiles, “Oh yeah? That’s a little more reassuring,” His stare lingers on Zuko for a moment longer, and then Jet turns, “Alright then Hotshot, I’ll find you.”

Zuko glowers, “You’ll _stalk_ me.”

“You'll like it.” Jet winks, and in a matter of moments he’s disappeared into the night.  
Zuko’s expression drops, he closes his eyes and heavily sighs, then falls against the wall. The night-time breeze sweeps his frazzled mind astray and relaxes his tensed muscles. After allowing himself a few long seconds to breathe, Zuko makes his way back to Iroh. He comes up with a lie on the fly, something nonchalant enough for his uncle to buy, and then they clean up and go back to the room for a good night’s rest.

It's early dawn now as the ship sails through bland islands. The morning fog is thick, the sky is grey, and the gentle breeze through the air chills Zuko's heated skin. He stands against the edge at the front of the ship, staring off in silent introspection, but something is slightly different. The usual deep, sagging thoughts of honor, the Avatar, and his sister ring in mind, and the weight of being false refugees into Ba Sing Se is not so easy on him either. However, the conversation he had with Jet the night before has his gut twisted. There exists a painful polarization within Zuko, he is constantly at war with himself, and Jet has accidentally lit a new flame in the explosive embers of the Prince's burning, contradictory conscience. It makes his skin crawl with anticipation, and his heart thump harder than he can handle. Of course, the world will refuse to give Zuko a break, and the cause of sudden turmoil just so happens to show up, breaking his unintentional meditation.

Jet's voice is thick from waking so early, but soft as the morning wind. He approaches with intention, but not with any means to startle the Prince. “You know, as soon as I saw your scar I knew exactly who you were.” That, however, sends sparks of nervous electricity shooting through Zuko in an instant. His eyebrows raise in surprise at the bold statement, if not accusation, and then furrow in concern. Jet stands beside him, but Zuko is tense as a statue. He continues, “You’re an outcast, like me; and us outcasts have to stick together. We have to watch each other’s backs, because no one else will.”

The ladder statement quickly quenches any fear Zuko had. He doesn't bother to look at Jet, as he can already picture his stern expression in mind. Instead, his gaze remains hard and steady on the approaching wall ahead. “I’ve realized lately, that being on your own isn’t always the best bet.” Zuko looks away from the scenery and meets Jet's stare from the side, ”These last few years, my Uncle has never left my side, and sometimes I wonder if I take it for granted.”

The corner of Jet's lips turn up into half of a smile, ”Sometimes it takes a long time to realize what you've been missing out on…” He nonchalantly takes a small step closer to the Prince, ”Especially when you've never had it before.”

Zuko slowly inhales through his nose, and then closes his eyes and releases the breath through his mouth. His golden gaze returns to the dark water, "Trying to pick me up again?"

"Hey! It's worth a shot, right?" Jet snickers and folds his arms atop the edge of the ship. "Besides, I feel like an entire night is plenty of time to think about my offer. Who knows what will happen in Ba Sing Se," Jet shrugs, "Maybe you and your Uncle will need to share a house with some people… Like us."

Zuko looks over at Jet and raises an eyebrow, "That won't be necessary. We survived on our own for weeks without food, water, money, or shelter. We can handle a city."

"It was just an offer," Jet's gaze slides away from the fire bender as he takes yet another step closer, "You know Li, you're awfully warm for someone who's so cold."

Zuko tenses again, and turns his body to face the other, "What are you talking about?" He demands, shoulders raised.

Jet laughs, "Chill out, I'm just teasing. You radiate heat like a furnace," Jet leans the side of his body against the ship and crosses his arms, once again looking Zuko up and down - this time, however, with a lot less subtlety. "It's kind of hot, actually. Pun intended." The smirk on his face remains, almost as if it had been tacked on with a nail. Zuko heavily sighs and scratches bashfully at his head, knowing well that he's unable to hide the blush swamping his pale complexion.

"Please, stop with that…" Zuko's brows furrow and he grits his teeth, literally unable to process all the flirting.

"Have you never had anyone hit on you before? Please," Jet scoffs, "Not with that face, darlin'."

Zuko makes a disgruntled sound in his throat and balls his fists at his side, having a very difficult time easing his own spiked nerves. If he could, he'd blast Jet into a cloud of smoke, but that would certainly ruin everything. "Don't humor me, I know what I look like. I don't need you or anyone else making a point of that." Zuko defiantly turns his head away from Jet, hiding the massive scar on his face and showing off the cold shoulder. This is what causes Jet to relax again, and understand the gravity of the conversation. He uncrosses his arms and his expression softens, along with his now cautious tone,

"Li, I wasn't making a point of anything, especially not about _that_. I just think you're -" Jet hesitates, his hand is outstretched and ready to graze Zuko's arm, but he isn't sure if that's the right approach. In fact, since he's started trying to talk to Zuko at all, he hasn't been very sure of what the proper way of communicating is. Zuko is an enigma, a very complicated code to crack, but he desperately wants the prize inside. If there's anything Jet likes in a target, it's a challenge. He takes a slow breath, "Have you really never been with anyone before?"

For the first time that morning, Zuko actually manages to smile; not very much so, but an upturn in the corner of his lips is a lot for the Prince of angst. "Yeah. I have, well," Zuko sighs and adjusts his posture, staring forward again, "I _had_ a girlfriend, I guess."

Jet nods slowly while inconspicuously inching his way closer and closer beside Zuko. "What was she like?"

Zuko scoffs a laugh, "Nothing like you."

"That makes sense."

"She's quiet, and bitter; paler than a ghost, and with black hair longer than your legs." Jet notices that was _definitely_ a compliment. "The only thing you two have in common is, you both hate to be bored, and you both can put up a fight. She's not a girl who needs any help, and doesn't want it."

"Huh," Jet chuckles, "Guess I'm not the only one who likes a challenge."

"You and her are two very different kinds of challenges... She's too good for me."

"I find that hard to believe, but is that why you aren't together anymore?"

Zuko takes a moment to mull the question over, because while that isn't entirely _right_ , there's also truth to the vague statement. "Lot's of reasons. Creative differences, mostly, and separation. I had to leave, it wasn't my choice."

Jet is well aware of how heavy the conversation has gotten, and fully realizes he needs to steer it as far away as possible if he's going to get what he wants out of the Prince. He takes a deep breath and throws his arm around Zuko's shoulders, brandishing a mischievous smile once again, "Sounds like you're in need of some release."

Zuko tenses at the contact and stares at Jet from the corner of his eye, "What are you talking about?"

"I know you're unsure about my proposition, but I think that for the greater good, me and you should get together already." By now, Zuko should be used to how straightforward Jet is, but his honesty is not the same type as the Prince's. Tight lipped, Zuko has to think about what everything means, he has to toss the consequences over in his head and decide if all this is truly worth it; but amidst Zuko's pause in thought, he takes a careful moment to consider the young man before him. His eyes start at Jet's square, armored shoulders, follow up the lines of muscle in his throat, admire the sharpness of his face, naturally including tanned lips - and they settle on dark brown irises. The two stare into each other's eyes for a long moment, and Zuko can suddenly hear his heart thumping in his throat again. It makes him extremely uncomfortable.

The Prince sucks in a breath and glances out towards the sea, ”I don't have a lot of time to think about the same things you do, but I don't hate the idea of that.” His eyes shift back to Jet's ”I think I'm starting to get tired of being so lonely.”  
Jet's impish expression levels to something more sincere; he takes a gulp of words caught up in his mouth, and his eyes scan down to Zuko's hand at his thigh. He has long hands, veiny and calloused, and his fingertips are tinted red from some kind of work in the past that Jet has yet to know about. A smile pulls at Jet's lips again, and with grace he slides his hand across Zuko's broad shoulders and down the side of his body. His fingers graze Zuko's digits, testing the waters with feather-light weight, and as the Prince just said, he clearly isn't opposed to the suddenness of Jet's attention, because he remains motionless.

Zuko's hand twitches, and he looks down to watch Jet carefully toy with his fingers, not encircling or grabbing just yet. ”Well,” Jet starts slowly, his voice low and sounding a bit constricted, ”If you're really going to let me make this worth it for you, then before we get inside those walls,” Jet nudges his head towards the ship's destination, and a smirk begins to pry its way through to his expression; Jet adjusts to his full height and steps even closer, edging the gap between their bodies smaller and smaller, ”I think I'd like to do a little more liberating.” He whispers seductively.

Zuko stares into his eyes, considering the words, and he can’t help himself but steal a glance at those mischievously curled lips. A certain want that he's never felt before snakes it way through his chest, and settles deep in his abdomen, and Zuko finds he simply can't resist. He slowly exhales, trying not to be shaky, and utters a committed, “Ok.”

Jet’s expression turns into a full-blown grin and he grabs Zuko’s wrist, “Well what are we waiting for?” Jet turns and tugs Zuko off into another direction,

"Hey- where are we going?” Zuko protests, looking around at the little amount of bystanders.

Jet glances over his shoulder, “Just figured you'd appreciate it if we went somewhere more private."  
Zuko holds his breath and follows after Jet, down a pair of stairs and into the lower rooms on the ship. Eventually they stop at a door, which Jet opens and then more or less throws Zuko into. Inside it’s dark, and Jet is quick to shut, and lock, the door behind them. Zuko makes quick work of assessing his surroundings, but only finds that this room looks just as normal as his and Iroh's small quarters, only this room has three beds instead of two. "Where are Smellerbee and Longshot?" Zuko asks rather nervously, unsure of everything while in a new environment.

Jet smiles, "Don't worry, I told them to stay out on the deck this morning. No one is going to bother us," He sets his hand on Zuko's wrist, but the Prince nervously pulls it away as he turns around to face the other.

Always cautious and equally paranoid, Zuko frets, "What did you tell them?" If it weren't for the dim lit room shadowing them almost completely, the blush on Zuko's face would be embarrassingly dark.

"You seriously need to relax Li, I didn't tell them anything weird. I said I'm trying to recruit you as a Freedom Fighter, and hey," Jet reaches out, sets his hands on Zuko's hips, and abruptly pulls him close, "That wasn't a lie." Briefly, the thought of prostitution crosses Zuko's mind, but he's quick to snuff that one out. This is not the same thing, though it could easily be spun that way should the situation go awry.  
Jet presses his head against the untainted side of Zuko's face, grazing their cheeks together, "You can trust me, I thought I made that obvious." He murmurs, and with his hands at Zuko's side, he can feel the fire bender's body shiver.

Zuko gulps, his skin prickling with anticipation. "You should know, I've never done this before."

"I figured," Jet snickers.

"No, I mean," Zuko sets his hands on top of Jet's and shuts his eyes tight, " _Any_ of this. I kissed her, a few times. Nothing more."

Jet is not thrown off by this at all - if anything, his attraction to Zuko increases, and the eagerness in his pants by tenfold. "Then allow me to take the reins," Jet's hands grab the waistband of Zuko's pants hidden beneath the thick layer of his shirt for leverage, and he presses their lips together with an experienced ease. Jet can feel how rigid Zuko's muscles become, and for a moment, there is nothing; no breathing, no moving, no sound, and then it all comes rushing to the Prince in an instant. Jet can hear the sharp inhale through his nose, can feel the heavy rise in his chest, can feel it when Zuko's hands lift off his own in shock, and when his waist meekly shifts. It's supremely satisfying to know that he literally took Zuko's breath away with just one kiss, and for the Prince, the sensation is electrifying.  
Zuko lifts an apprehensive hand to the back of Jet's neck and cradles his head as their lips carefully mold together. Even when Zuko has kissed Mai in the past, it has never been so sensual; now, it feels like he's being suffocated and revived at the same time, as if an ostrich horse has kicked him in the heart and set it off running, or like a dragon is encircling a nest of gold in his stomach. His brain is clouded, and for the first time, Zuko is allowing himself to be absolutely, undeniably vulnerable to a stranger - but he can't stop now.

Jet slowly guides them to the wall of the small room, where he presses Zuko against it with patience, and finds that he no longer needs to physically have a hold on Zuko's hips in order to keep him close. The Prince lifts his other hand and finds Jet's upper back, where he nervously grips at the cloth and tries his best to hold on for the ride in which he is completely out of his element. Jet grins into the kiss, "Just keep following my lead," He breathes between their lips, and slips his hands upward, resting one at Zuko's ribs and the other at the small of his back. Zuko makes a small noise, not in protest, but in affirmation.  
Eventually when the time feels right, Jet licks across Zuko's teeth, merrily hinting at entrance; and Zuko, who is so adorably inexperienced, bashfully pulls back. He wants to verbally ask what that means, but he is breathless and the world is a haze - Jet understands well enough. He himself being strapped for breath whispers, "Open your mouth," There's a light chuckle in there, but Zuko ignores it, caught up in the moment and not worrying about being belittled. Pushing into him and further pressing their bodies together, Jet reconnects their lips and slips his tongue into the fire bender's mouth, exploring at his leisure despite Zuko's awkward noises at the sensation. Physically the Prince realizes he's somehow managed to keep his cool, but figuratively it feels like every inch of his body is alight with flames.

At some point, Jet notices a prodding against his thigh, and is instantly made aware of how deep they'll end up diving. Quick to act, Jet pulls out of Zuko's mouth and begins to kiss and nip at his sculpted jawline, then down to his throat where he plants more kisses and lightly sucks. Zuko finally finds his voice, and it cracks with uneasiness, "No marks," He gasps, the world spinning and his throat burning with every breath.

Jet chuckles low in his throat as he slowly presses his leg between Zuko's, "Don't worry," He takes the lobe of Zuko's ear between his teeth and sucks, "I won't leave any traces today," And then he proceeds to trail down the Prince's long throat.  
Zuko pushes his head back against the wall and sighs, nervous, yet allowing himself to get lost in the pleasure. While focusing on the tingling pressure applied to his sensitive skin, he suddenly notices the friction between his legs, and an arrow of sensation is shot up through his spine. A sound comes out of his throat that he can't control, something mixed between a desperate moan and a shocked growl. "Jet-" He chokes, unable to quickly process the rush of pleasure.

Jet finds his hands at Zuko's hips again, back to controlling him. He subtly grinds the Prince against his thigh, and earns a moan at the motion. "I've got you," Jet utters, voice thick and full of a genuine care that Zuko isn't used to.

" _Shit_ " Zuko gasps, his chest heaving with every stressed breath, "I-I don't, ever," He can't seem to grasp the right words. Jet stops his movements and blinks a few times as a realization slaps him in the face; sure, Zuko has never been intimate with anyone, but there's no way he doesn't touch himself.

Jet's eyebrows furrow, "Are you serious?" He asks in disbelief.

Zuko swallows the thick air in his throat and bites his lip, barely nodding his head and confirming the other's suspicions.

"Wow," Jet scoffs, "No wonder you're so fuckin' wound up all the time," He presses harder against the Prince and slides one hand down his abdomen, "You _need_ this."  
Without further hesitation, his hand encircles the tent in the Prince's pants, and cautiously palms it through the cloth. Zuko tosses his head back and moans into the open air, his skin prickling with sweat and _want. _Jet grunts at the sound, it was heavenly.  
Without thinking about it, Zuko hikes one of his legs up around Jet's waist to keep him close, and moves in time with the grind from Jet's palm, but that's what ends up halting the movement. Jet takes his hand away from the point of interest, grabs two handfuls of the Prince's rather well-sculpted ass, and lifts him up against the wall to push their hips together instead. Zuko hisses at the movement, and Jet can feel his hips buck. He slots their lips while rolling their bodies together, and after only a few moments of the repeated motion Zuko is like putty, his arms thrown around Jet's shoulders and his face buried in the other's neck as he breathes heavily.__

____

____

He huffs against Jet's glistening tan skin, "Bed, _now._ " Zuko demands in typical fashion - but this isn't nearly as annoying as it would normally be. Jet is the least bit concerned with the attitude and complies without question, quickly handling all of Zuko's weight and moving to press him into one of the old, stiff mattresses that's been supplied to them. Jet quickly settles himself between Zuko's spread limbs, and before continuing, Zuko breaks the silence once again, "This is _your_ bed, right?" He gasps as Jet's hands explore his torso, trying to get rid of the garment covering it.

The comment actually makes Jet laugh, rather dryly, "Yeah, it's mine." At that, he finds the clasps that hold Zuko's shirt together, and promptly tears them open, exposing Zuko's pale chest to the stale oxygen in the room. The Prince sighs at the open air as goosebumps cover the expanse of his skin. Jet takes a good, long look at the man open before him. What was once thick and deeply defined muscle is now thinner, and lean. Zuko's chest heaves and Jet watches his exposed ribs and smoothed abs roll with the motion, watches the V in his abdomen deepen with every breath; the sight makes him hard as hell.  
Jet licks across his teeth and slides his hands down Zuko's flat stomach, and when he reaches his abdomen Zuko complies and arches his back, raising their hips together once again. Jet drags his hands across the tent in Zuko's pants, who groans at the contact, rolling his head against the pathetic excuse of a pillow beneath it.  
Jet is surprised to find, however, that every inch of Zuko's skin is balmy to the touch. Everything about Zuko, from the color of his eyes to the temperature of his skin, to the build of his face and body, and not to mention his damned tempered personality, is _hot_ , and it's driving Jet completely mad.

Jet curses under his breath and wraps his fingers around the waistband of Zuko's pants, eager to pull them down and allow the desired treat beneath to spring free. Few and far between has Jet ever thought of enjoying a mouth full of cock, but now, it's a pleasure - but it's also painful too, because if it weren't for that thick scar splashed against the side of Zuko's face, every inch of him would be perfect; including his dick, and Jet distantly thinks 'fuck you' for it, but that can wait.  
He carefully drags the tip of his fingers up the shaft, and watches Zuko's entire body twitch at the gentle touch. He stops there and continues to pull the pants and underwear Zuko wears down his long limbs, "Pull one leg out." He advises, and Zuko complies in silence, clearly too eager to question anything Jet is doing - how could he when it feels so good?

Knowing better than to try and jerk it dry, Jet reaches beneath the mattress and pulls out a bottle of oil, just for the occasion. He knew he would get this far, of course, and couldn't help but prepare for the event in advance. He pops open the bottle and watches it drip like liquid honey onto the tip of Zuko's dick, and then watches as he shivers at the feeling.  
"Prepared?" Zuko asks, his head tilted up at the ceiling because it's too embarrassing for him to watch. Jet doesn’t mind - from his sharp chin, to his hollow collar bones, and down his lean chest, the view of Zuko’s opened body is beautiful.

"I wanted this to go as well as possible," Jet chuckles, always trying to make a good first impression, and he definitely wants this encounter to be the first of many more. He cups his hand around the head and drags the oil down to the base, and Zuko groans while pushing his hips up into the loose fist. Jet momentarily keeps his hand there, keeps the pressure at the base and feels the throbbing in his palm; a large part of him gets off on having all the power in one hand, an entire man at his disposal through pleasure alone. The feeling is intoxicating, but he can't dwell on it for too long, lest his bed-mate get impatient (and he will.)  
With a practiced ease, Jet slowly drags his hand up and down Zuko's length, forcing patience while the Prince croaks and squirms beneath his hand. Zuko's hands grab at the sheets, tugging and pushing while his head rolls against the pillow and his lower body moves on its own accord. In reality, he wants to grab at Jet - hold his shoulders or his free hand, but he _can't._ At least if he accidentally burns the blanket, Zuko can blame it on a past incident - but accidentally burning Jet would cause mayhem.

Jet works him up slowly, watching the sweat gather and glisten across his pale body as it rolls and flexes with need. Once the Prince starts verbalizing his desire, that's when Jet breaks. He leans in and takes a ginger lick across the top of the head, and Zuko's body shivers again; every nerve in him is screaming _yes, more, please,_ but only the former two he can manage to choke out. Deep within, Zuko is still royalty, and he'll be damned to ask some lowlife to 'please' hurry up and make him cum already.  
Jet smirks to himself, knowing how damn good of a job he's doing, but also knowing how hard he is in his own pants. He circles the head with his tongue, tasting the salt and slick before wrapping his lips around it, and then ever slowly inching down the length. The moan that comes from Zuko is disgustingly sinful, clear that he has never before felt such sensations. It's enough to push Jet over the edge, and has him sticking his hand down his pants to grab at his own length with the oil left over on his hand.  
With each bob of his head he takes Zuko in further, until the point of which he feels like he might gag and completely ruin the moment - not like Zuko would even notice; he has his head completely lost in the clouds, his world spinning round and round in circles while he sings in pleasure for the one at the end of the bed, giving him something new, and taking away a delectable piece of the fire bender forever.

Giving in, Zuko fists Jet's thick brown hair with one hand, urging him to keep the length buried in his throat until he's fulfilled - and despite the suffocation, Jet finds himself really enjoying the roughness of Zuko's careless actions. He continues to allow the Prince that mercy as they go, as he takes Zuko higher and higher, and then hears him nearly mewling his name as release finally nears. He listens to the hard breathing from the Prince, every labored breath and struggled name that tumbles out weakly from his thin lips. He can feel the throbbing pulse in the back of his throat, knowing well Zuko is close, and so he pulls up to just the tip and continues to generously suck, until finally he finds release.  
The Prince’s toes curl over Jet’s shoulders, his back arches and body trembles as climax crashes over him like waves, and the sound torn from his throat is priceless. Tears sting the side of his tightly shut eyes, and a few manage to roll down his pretty flushed face.

Aiming to please his guest to the fullest capacity, Jet patiently swallows the bitter taste until Zuko is finished, and then he pulls off. Also so close to releasing, Jet presses his head against Zuko's trembling thigh and finishes himself off, cumming onto the floor with satisfied groans - which he knows he'll have to clean before they leave the ship.

In the aftermath, the two take time to breathe in silence. Zuko's body relaxes completely, his eyes shut while he focuses on regaining balance to his mind. Jet, on the other hand, simply basks in the post-release relief. Eventually, once they've both calmed, Jet climbs Zuko's body until he's on all-fours above the other, staring down at him with an expression Zuko could only describe as 'content.'  
As Jet stares down at Zuko, he notices the hint of tears on his face, gracing long eyelashes and still moist at the top of his cheeks. As he drags the pants back up Zuko's legs, Jet leans down and kisses away the tears on the untainted side of his face, gently pecking away the remnants of over-stimulation. Once the pants are back on, Jet works at the top, slowly clasping each button back together. As he does so, Zuko pulls Jet in closer and begins to kiss at his neck, and then sucks at the salty, tender skin. Jet, of course, is too lost in the afterglow of their mutual masturbation to notice exactly what it is the Prince is doing, and so he takes in the pleasure without a second thought while putting Zuko's clothing back together.  
As the seconds tick past and Zuko claims his sneak attack on Jet's unsuspecting throat, he notices the rays of sun beaming through the small window in the room, and while he's at it, notices there's a lot less movement underneath them.  
The ship has reached its port at the border.

"Hey," Zuko says softly, yet his voice is course and wavering, "I think it's time for us to go."

Jet groans and rolls off of him, staring at the ceiling with a complete lack of energy. "Yeah, I think you're right."

The Prince sighs and sits up, "My Uncle is probably searching for me."

"And my Freedom Fighters too," Jet smirks, and glances over at Zuko, who is positively glowing in the light. "Your eyes are beautiful, I've never seen an Earth bender with anything like them before. It's like you have the sun trapped inside them." Jet reaches up to graze Zuko's face, but the Prince turns his head away.

"There is no sunshine where I go." Zuko utters dramatically and throws his legs over the side of the bed, then forces himself to get up; his legs are still subtly trembling, but Zuko pretends like nothing is different. Frankly, Jet is amazed at the stamina he has so quickly recovered after their morning rut. Maybe they’d spar together some day, and in the best case scenario, it’d turn into rough sex; Jet can only imagine the pleasure of that.  
However, Zuko quickly shuts his fantasy down. "I think it's best we never speak of this again."

Jet grits his teeth, internally cursing at the Prince's stubbornness, but as a people pleaser he knows that isn't how to approach the situation. Jet forces himself to sit up, and then follows Zuko to the door, despite how much it tires him. "Hey I don't think so, my offer still stands. If you and Mushi ever need a place to go,"

"We won't." Zuko says curtly, already at the door. He turns to face Jet, staring him down with an unrelenting dismissal, and Jet doesn't understand it at all. However, he must accept it for now.

Jet exhales through his nose, forcing patience, "Fine. But I'll see you again, Li."

Zuko sets his hand on the door, pondering the comment as he opens it. Before leaving he sighs, and nods, "You will."  
With that, Zuko gracefully takes his leave.

As he walks down the halls and towards the deck of the ship, Zuko happens upon Iroh, worriedly talking to one of the guards, and likely about the Prince; but once he's within his Uncle's eyesight, the senior quickly redirects his attention.  
"Nephew! Where have you been? I've been looking all over for you!"

"Uncle, I was just," Zuko hesitates, unsure of a proper excuse.

"Why don't we talk about it later, right now we need to finish packing up our things, we don't have a lot of time left before the ship turns around!" With that, Iroh drags Zuko off to their own personal quarters.

Back in his bedroom, Jet is leaning against the wall, raking one hand through his hair while he runs through everything that just happened. He savors the taste of the fire bender on his tongue, the feeling of his evidently untouched skin beneath his calloused palms, the sound of his heavenly voice aching for more. Mostly, though, Jet is savoring his personal victory in achieving the goal he set out for.  
But now, he realizes, the ship has stopped moving and the ever present sound of shuffling feet above his room is getting louder and more persistent; people are leaving, and his Freedom Fighters are probably waiting for him. He swiftly cleans up the mess he made on the floor, packs the remainder of his things, and departs the room.

Zuko and Iroh leave the ship together, and far behind them Jet steps off the deck to find Smellerbee and Longshot standing on the ground, patiently holding their things.  
"Jet!" Smellerbee interjects, her eyes widening upon his arrival. "What took you so long?"

"I just had some business to attend to, did you really think I was gonna abandon you guys?" Jet adjusts the bag on his shoulder with a smirk.

Smellerbee frowns, "I don't know Jet, that mark on your neck says otherwise." She crosses her arms, glaring at the hickey left on Jet's throat.

Jet's eyebrows arch and he raises his palm to his throat, gently rubbing at the skin and recalling the exact moment Zuko had left behind the departing gift. Jet chuckles, "It's just a bruise, nothing serious. Now come on, let's follow the herd." He claps Smellerbee on the back and begins walking, and the remainder of the Freedom Fighters have no choice but to sigh and follow behind.

Within the border check-in building, Zuko and Iroh stand at the front of one of the lines before a rather large woman who is looking over their passports. "So, Mr. Li and Mr. um... Mushy, is it?"

Iroh takes a breath and holds up his finger, smiling generously at the woman, "It's pronounced, 'Moo-Shi'!"

The woman sets their passports down and glares at Iroh, "You tellin' me how to do my job?"

Thrown off by the attitude but quick to think of a solution, Iroh waves his hands and approaches the stand which the woman sits in, "Uh, no, no no-” He steels himself, and with a practices drama, Iroh attempts to flatter and seduce the counter woman. “But may I just say you're like a flower in bloom, your beauty is intoxicating~"

Zuko notes that, no, the woman is not like a flower in bloom who’s beauty is intoxicating. She is boisterous, her eyebrows are thick like slugs, and he simply cannot look past the crater of a mole on her forehead. Knowing that she is the least bit attractive, however, is the name of Iroh’s manipulative game - and besides, he’s lonely too. The woman is flattered and her gaze softens on the senior, "Mm, you're pretty easy on the eyes yourself, handsome." She winks, and curls her hand like a cat, growling and purring to spur on some kind of sensuality between them. It makes Zuko want to puke.  
The woman stamps their passports and slides them over, "Welcome to Ba Sing Se."

With a grin and a wink, Iroh takes the passports, and once he turns around to face the disgusted Zuko, one of the passports is impatiently ripped from his hand. "I'm gonna forget I saw that." The pair storm off into the next part of the building, where they will sit on pillar-chairs and wait for the train to arrive.

Meanwhile, far behind in the line, Jet and his Freedom Fighters were watching them from afar. Jet, grinning, takes the wheat reed from between his teeth and comments with confidence, "I think Li would make a good Freedom Fighter, he's just trying to find his way in the world, like us."

The statement is almost repugnant to Smellerbee, who quickly attempts to sway his mind. "You don't know anything about him Jet."

Flashes from that morning appear in Jet’s mind fresh as Spring rain, and how he’d love to throw just how much he now knows about Zuko in the girls face - but he keeps it cool, and retorts with something sassier, "I know he didn't get that scar from a water bender."

Smellerbee dismisses his point, and returns to the appearance of the hickey on his neck - because her and Longshot alike are not stupid. "Besides, I thought we were going _straight_ now." The pun is well intended; Jet ignores it with the same intention.

He shrugs, "We are, and the new Freedom Fighters could use a guy like Li.” Wanting another opinion, Jet turns to face their third friend, “What do you think Longshot?"  
Who, in response, stares blankly at the two of them. But Jet speaks silence, and can see it in the other boy's eyes. His expression softens, "... I can respect that."

It takes quite a bit of time, but once the Freedom Fighter’s are done dealing with the passport woman, they enter the train-waiting station and Jet makes quick work of finding Zuko and Iroh. He nearly jumps with excitement upon spotting them, but cools himself and faces his friends. “Hey, wait here. I’m gonna talk to him.”

“Can’t it wait?” Smellerbee frowns, “You've been talking about him since we got on the boat.”

“Well, he’s important to me, so let me handle this and if it doesn't work out then I won’t bring it up again.” Jet tries to assure them, but gets nothing back except condescending stares. He sighs, “I promise.”  
Smellerbee and Longshot exchange a glance, and then they both nod and send him off.

Jet approaches the royal pair with a quickness he hadn't really expected from himself, and as he sits down and matches Zuko's posture he speaks, "So, you guys got plans once you're inside the city?" Just as the Prince glances over, quite tiredly, their meeting is interrupted by a tea merchant that walks across the way.

"Get your hot tea here! Finest tea in Ba Sing Se!" The merchant calls, which immediately excites Uncle Iroh. The senior waves him over,

"Oh! Jasmine please!" So the tea merchants hobbles over, hands Iroh a disposable bowl, and pours him the desired beverage. Filled with excitement, Iroh eagerly drinks from the bowl with both hands, but is almost instantly met with a heart shattering disappointment. His eyes go wide and he cringes, and coughs up the substance, "Blagh! _Coldest_ tea in Ba Sing Se is more like it!" Iroh looks over at Zuko and Jet with a look of true betrayal, almost akin to what someone would see on the battlefield. "What a disgrace!"

Jet blinks a few times, glancing back and forth between the two men with raised brows; this definitely isn't where he wanted the conversation to go. He takes a deep breath and shifts in his spot, bringing the attention back to himself as he leans closer to Zuko, "Hey," He nudges his head off in a different direction, motioning for movement, "Can I talk to you for a second?" Yet without further discussion, forcing him to follow, Jet stands up and begins to walk away.  
Instantly frustrated by this of course, Zuko presses his palms against the cold stone beneath him, closes his eyes, and sighs, then pushes himself up and lazily follows after Jet. He knew they would meet again, but so soon after stepping off the boat has Zuko feeling antsy, overstimulated - and completely energy deflated.  
As they're walking, Jet continues, "I know we already talked about it, but I was just thinking," The two stop and stand square in front of each other as Jet hushes his voice further, "You and I have a much better chance of making it in the city if we stick together," He coyly arches a brow, begging for some sort of positive reaction to the idea he's been pushing since the night before. "You wanna join the Freedom Fighters?"

Zuko knew exactly what Jet was going to say before he even opened his mouth, but still found himself waiting for the annoying persistence of the returning question. Staring at Jet becomes difficult, "Thanks," And so Zuko briefly looks away, lets his eyes rest on something that isn't a frustratingly handsome face, "But," And when he looks back, there's a softness in his expression that Jet wasn't expecting. "I don't think you want me in your gang."

Zuko's genuineness completely takes Jet by surprise, and he wonders if it was an attempt to 'let him down softly.' But Jet doesn't _do_ soft, or subtle. There's a giggle to his voice, "Come on," He holds out his hands and begins to talk with them, which Zuko may guess is a tell that he's getting nervous. "We made a great team raiding that Captain's food. Think of all the good we could do for these refugees."  
Jet's smile is earnest and truly sweet, but it's too much for Zuko to handle. He _tried_ being nice, but his patience has worn well away.

Zuko turns his back on Jet and stomps away, making the anger within him rise to the surface and force his hand in reaction. "I said no." The Prince remarks cruelly, lacking any more sympathy for Jet, despite their obvious connection.

It completely knocks Jet off his game. He knew in the back of his mind it was too soon to be approaching Zuko again, like trying to pet a cat too much or picking up a bird too often - but he couldn't help it, and he's walked himself into Zuko's cold wall of unsympathetic disappointment. Jet stares after Zuko with an honest gaze of bewilderment, and he looks like an abandoned puppy. "Have it your way." He utters, mostly to himself as he stares at the back of Zuko's body, that of which he can luckily say he's well acquainted with.  
However, it's in this moment of lingering staring that Jet notices something awfully strange; Iroh's tea is _steaming._ The tea that, moments before, had the old man almost rioting over because of it's lacking heat - is now _steaming._ The connection hits Jet like a bus, and his blood pressure spikes. _Now_ it makes sense why Zuko declined his offer.  
Almost at the exact same moment of Jet's realization, Zuko returns to his Uncle's side and notices the exact same thing, as his Uncle sips merrily from his hot bowl, not a care in the world shown on his grinning face.

Hardly able to contain his emotions, Jet steels himself and stomps away from the scene, back to his Freedom Fighters where he can try and compose himself. Zuko watches from his peripherals, and when Jet's out of sight, he turns back to his Uncle and knocks the tea out of his hands without a second thought. The bowl hits the ground with a quiet thud, but the tea within is spilled everywhere. "Hey!" Iroh protests, but it is already too late, the damage has been done on both their ends.

Zuko leans down into his Uncle's face, bearing gritted teeth as he hisses through them, "What are you doing fire bending your tea?! For a wise old man, that was a pretty stupid move!"

But Iroh is not paying attention to his furious nephew. He is staring down at the puddle of tea spilled across the ground, mourning it. "I know you're not supposed to cry over spilled tea, but," The seniors eyes glaze over and he sniffles, barely managing to keep himself from crying, "That's so sad."

Moments later, a train finally arrives, and out from the front a conductor pops out and begins to yell for Ba Sing Se. Zuko and Iroh wait patiently for the first big rounds of people to board the train, as they like to spot the least crowded one they can. After a good half an hour, the conductor yells out, "Last call for Ba Sing Se!" As less and less people continue to board the train. Iroh and Zuko casually step into one of the cars, with the Freedom Fighters following at length away.

Jet walks at a brisk pace, his skin prickling with rage and his expression baring all. Smellerbee stresses not only following him, but trying to calm him. "Jet, relax! So the old guy had some hot tea, big deal-"

Jet is quick to cut her off, "He heated it himself! Those guys are _fire benders._ " Jet scowls, the bridge of his nose wrinkling with disgust.  
As the three of them get into a different car, Jet raises his collar and hides himself, a new objective swamping his mind.

Iroh and Zuko take their seats beside a couple with a newborn baby. Zuko is quick to sink into his position, crossing his arms and frowning at nothing, while Iroh naturally takes great pleasure in seeing the adorable infant. "What a handsome baby!" He compliments the couple, and gently pets the sleeping infant in the woman's arms.

She is grateful for the compliment and grins, glowing with positivity, "Thank you!"

All the doors to the train close, and at the very back end, two Earth benders push it off, and so the train officially departs it's port and enters the great walls of Ba Sing Se, where change will smooth even the roughest edges, or crush the strongest stones.

**Author's Note:**

> I hope you all enjoyed my little one chapter story. Let me know if I should make a part 2? I probably won't listen, motivation comes once every two years apparently - but encouragement is cool and I already have an idea for what it could be. The work involved to make it happen would just be a lot, and my ego needs stroking aye.
> 
> (Also, I take _constructive_ criticism. Don't be an asshole, and there won't be any problems.)


End file.
